PIA comes under severe criticism over repeated technical malfunctions

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) faced severe criticism on Sunday after the same Airbus A320 aircraft experienced an identical technical malfunction for the second consecutive day, leaving passengers stranded and raising serious questions about the national carrier’s maintenance standards.

According to the details, the aircraft, registered as AP-BLS, was forced to return to the ramp during flight preparations for PK-233 from Islamabad to Al Ain on Sunday morning after its Flight Control Computer (FCC) fault resurfaced — the same issue that had disrupted Saturday’s Islamabad-Dubai flight.

Following Saturday’s incident on flight PK-233 to Dubai, the aircraft was cleared for service in accordance with Minimum Equipment List (MEL) guidelines, certifying it airworthy. However, the recurring fault during Sunday’s pre-flight checks forced the captain to abort the departure, grounding the plane once again.

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The situation was further complicated by PIA’s lack of spare parts inventory. Engineers attempting to repair the aircraft discovered that no replacement Flight Control Computer was available at Islamabad’s engineering facility. The airline was forced to cannibalize the component from another aircraft stationed in Karachi, arranging for it to be transported to the capital on an early morning flight PK-300 for installation.

The consecutive disruptions left dozens of passengers furious, with many spending hours in the airport lounge as their travel plans unravelled for the second straight day. “This is completely unacceptable. We were told everything was fixed yesterday, and now we’re stuck again,” said one passenger waiting in the departure lounge.

Aviation analysts said that the incident has exposed deeper systemic problems within PIA’s operations, including inadequate maintenance planning, poor inventory management of critical spare parts, and insufficient operational oversight.

“When the same fault recurs immediately after being cleared, it raises questions about the airline’s maintenance procedures,” said an aviation expert familiar with airline operations. “The lack of spare parts availability at a major hub like Islamabad is particularly concerning for a national carrier,” he added.

The repeated grounding came as a standoff between PIA management and engineers entered its sixth day, leading to the cancellation of nine flights and delays to 18 others.

According to engineering sources, the cancellations and delays were caused by technical faults and the non-availability of spare parts, once again exposing the airline’s poor planning and weak maintenance support.

Flights from Abu Dhabi to Peshawar, Dubai to Karachi, and Faisalabad to Dubai were cancelled, along with Dubai to Faisalabad and Peshawar to Dubai.

Domestic operations have also suffered, with cancellations on routes between Islamabad, Skardu, and Gilgit. In total, 18 domestic and international flights faced delays ranging from 3 to 10 hours. Engineering shortages and spare part unavailability have virtually crippled PIA’s operations, while management continues to struggle to restore normalcy.

Sources said that PIA management, instead of taking efforts to elevate its maintenance standards, initiated a crackdown on engineers who kept raising serious safety concerns to protect passengers’ lives.

The PIA management was of the view that serious safety concerns were raised by the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP) to sabotage the PIA privatisation process. However, the SAEP has categorically denied the allegations, saying the organisation was in favour of PIA privatization.

The SAEP, in its statement, said PIA management has initiated retaliatory measures against aircraft engineers who refused to compromise on the safety of passengers and aircraft. “The engineers who strictly adhere to international maintenance standards are being targeted with warning letters, caution notices, and forced transfers.”

The organisation strongly condemned these measures and made it clear that such pressure and threats not only endanger flight safety but also affect the reputation of the national airline. “Instead of addressing the real problems - shortage of spare parts, poor planning, and unprofessional management, the management is targeting those who stood on safety principles,” the statement added.

“SAEP stands with all its engineers who are being harassed or punished for carrying out their integrity and professional responsibility. These measures constitute a direct threat to aviation safety and professional ethics. SAEP will challenge all these illegal actions in the courts and will also highlight these abuses at international aviation forums, including Aircraft Engineers International (AEI).”

“No compromise on safety — no engineer can be forced to sign off on an unsafe aircraft,” it added.

When contacted, the PIA spokesman was not available for comment.

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